Hi all just received a hobie 18, gratis.Do not know what year it is yet.I have a ton of questions,first how much pressure do you need to push down the dagger boards.I was cleaning up the daggerboard wells( they leak a little) and noticed the red glue on them .I was planning on attaching the shopvac to the drain hole and applying epoxy to the cleaned out joints to see if I could get some resin in the cracks.Boat came with 5 sails and 2 booms.Will be a couple of weeks before I take it out on the lake but am looking forward to it.Will try and get a photo up.Cheers

Last edited by onekiwi on Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Lucky you! It shouldn't take much pressure to push down the boards, provided your dagger wells are clear of obstructions (sand, gravel, etc.) that can clog up the lower wells as you drag the boat across the beach. Just make sure the are angles are correct as you press them down. If your dagger retainer bungies are super-tight, this can force an improper "plunge angle" if you aren't paying attention. Avoid jamming the boards all the way down to the deck.

If your boat is an older model with the lower dagger well flange (see: FAQ), I fixed my mine by squirting an epoxy bead along a firm piece of plastic and then smearing the epoxy into the flange joint by going in through the bottom of the well. My boat has been bone-freakin'-dry ever since. Zapping it with a shop vac can help, but be careful not to over-depressurize your hull(s).

Went out on the lake yesterday , a little gusty but had a LOT of fun.Managed to flip it a couple of times, ended with the mast pointing down!.What a #$%@# to get it back up. Had a motorboat pull from the side and finally got it up...man these things are hard to get upright with the wings on them.Managed to repair the daggerboard using a long sawsall blade through the split in the leading edge making a couple of sweeps then pouring resin down the slit and clamping the sides together.Board slides in and out easy now.A bit hillbilly but worked out alright.Back out today...will try to keep the mast pointing at the sky!

Went out on the lake yesterday , a little gusty but had a LOT of fun.Managed to flip it a couple of times, ended with the mast pointing down!.What a #$%@# to get it back up. Had a motorboat pull from the side and finally got it up...man these things are hard to get upright with the wings on them.Managed to repair the daggerboard using a long sawsall blade through the split in the leading edge making a couple of sweeps then pouring resin down the slit and clamping the sides together.Board slides in and out easy now.A bit hillbilly but worked out alright.Back out today...will try to keep the mast pointing at the sky!

This is the most encouraging post I've read from a newbie in a long time. Yeah!! Flip that boat! Test its limits and yours! Then learn how to fix the damage and do it again!

Just some vocabulary lessons for you.

Capsize: Boat on its sideTurtle: Boat upside downFly A Hull: Somewhere between upright and capsizedTeabag: When the wind suddenly stops or the captain dumps the main causing the windward hull and its crew to drop down with enough force that the crew on the trapeze is dunked in the water.

Beware of turtling in shallow water and getting the mast stuck in the mud since the mast/rigging/something may be damaged pulling it out. Also, when you capsize try NOT to jump/fall into the sail, unless you want to buy a replacement and/or turtle the boat.

Also, if you haven't already learned by using your grey matter or experience, before righting the boat loosen all the sheets and make sure the tiller cross bar is in its proper place, otherwise you may have a powered up boat without steering when you right it. And do everything in your power to stay with the boat AT ALL TIMES! In the right conditions a capsized Hobie can drift in the wind faster than you can swim. And unless you want to be a candidate for the Darwin Awards, nuts like you and me must wear a life vest at all times.

LOL , yes I know I should use the correct terms! Diving under the tramp to loosen the jib cleats is fun.Went out again yesterday and managed to keep it upright.The lake is pretty warm so floating around out there is not to big a deal and with the air temp around 100 it is cooler in the water than out.Sailed mono hulls before,( floated around the south pacific for 5 months 20 years ago) so was pretty rusty but it is coming back fast.Out again today, buddy's have a 19 prindle and a 16 hobie.I am going to check the mast when we get it home and try to seal it up a little.May unbolt the wings today and see how it goes, but man are they comfortable to sit on!O h yeah, life vest is a must at all times.

Keep the wings on and concentrate on learning how to steer and sheet your way out of near capsize situations. I would avoid cleating the mainsheet in windy conditions until you get a better feel for how the boat behaves. Trust me, a capsized Hobie 18 is *really* difficult to right with or without wings. A strong wind blowing on your trampoline can cause the boat to turtle even if the mast is sealed (which is why you need to quickly get out on the bow and "wind vane" the boat into the proper orientation before righting) . I suggest you tip your boat on its side and make sure you don't hear water sloshing around in the mast. If you're convinced its dry, seal the heck out of every rivet and joint anyways, then get yourself back on the water.

Brian , it was amazing how quick it turtled after the capsize 5 seconds I reckon.

Wow, that's very fast. For comparison's sake, I've had my boat laying on its side while trying to right it for upwards of 15-minutes without it turning turtle. I'm guessing it was blowing like the Dickens and you got knocked over on a beam reach and/or you have a leak. Check out the 4:40 mark of this video for inspiration.

If you are sheeting out quickly and still tipping when the hull lifts up check the rake of your mast. It might be raked too far forward. It should be between 105-107 inches from the clevis pin in the bow tang to the center for the mast 48 inches up from the mast base. Movie it back closer to 107 and try it out. This will depower her a little.

Also, If you are turtling that quickly your mast is probably not water tight. You should reseal it.